Hijab Ban In Srinagar's Vishwa Bharti College Triggers Massive Row

Kashmir Valley woke up to a new controversy this morning after several female students were seen protesting against a Hijab Ban outside their college in Srinagar. The female students of the Vishwa Bharti Womens College at Rainawari area of Srinagar alleged that their entry into the school premises was denied for wearing Hijab.  The ban and subsequent protests within no time took a political turn. From political leaders to religious clerics, the controversy snowballed and was condemned by one and all.  "Why should we take off the Abaya ? I don't love this school more than my God that I will take off this Abaya. I will never take my Abaya off, there are so many boys in the college and there is so much immorality going on which is invisible to their eyes and asking us to take off the Abaya," a student said while speaking to Zee Media. 

"Who is she (administration official) to tell us to take the Abaya off? She asked us to go to a Dargah (Religious School) if we wish to wear an Abaya. Don't the girls who wear Abayas get the same education as everyone else?" she added.  However, the school administration has stated that there has been some miscommunication on the issue, as the students were "only asked to wear the cover as per recommended norms." The school authorities said that the students are wearing multicoloured Abaya and this is not as per uniform of the college.  "Even though the school has its own dress code, and some girls also wear ‘Abaya’, they have never been stopped," said InCharge principal of the school, Memroz Shafi. 

“Yesterday, I informed teachers to ask those students not to wear Abaya in the school premises, but they can come in Abaya until they reach school premises in order to maintain decorum," Shafi added.  There is no higher authority involved in it but “I believe a proper dress code which is being followed shall be followed here as well. We will announce a proper colour and pattern of ‘Abaya’ for all those students who want to come to school wearing the same,. We are not allowing colourful Abayas to be followed in the institution," Shafi said further.  The Political leadership in the Kashmir Valley has criticised the move as well. Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti said that dictates like these won't be tolerated and there would be repercussions to it. 

"They want to change Gandhi's India into Godse's India. Jammu Kashmir has become a laboratory for them, and every experimentation is being done from here. What had started in Karnataka is now being implemented in Kashmir as well. We will not accept this, and it will have severe reactions and repercussions. It's a personal choice to wear what we want, and you cannot force us to change that. They are attacking our religion and our religious leaders, the NIA calling summoning our religious leaders is an example. We won't tolerate all this. They have dispossessed us and now they are attacking our religion," said Mehbooba Mufti.  The Grand Mufti of Kashmir Valley Mufti Nasir Ul Islam has said the institution was only for women and now recently been converted into a co-education institute, so the female students should be allowed to wear burqa and abaya as their choice to protect their modesty.